Mason Jennings

Minnesota’s Mason Jennings has released a dozen albums since his self-titled debut in 1997, and his music brings to mind artists like Leonard Cohen and John Lennon. His songs are poignant and playful, serious and light. All Music called his release, Always Been, “a deftly sophisticated album whose straightforward simplicity belies darker emotional truths.” His latest album, Wild Dark Metal, has been called “one of the most exciting, powerful records of his nearly two-decade career.” In the words of the website The Current, “it’s his raw vulnerability that makes his songwriting incredibly brave.” Here’s how Mason puts it: “Staying open to the feeling of awe, the feeling of being moved by things — that’s the most important part of songwriting for me.” He goes back to a place of innocence in his songs, and the result is striking in its sweetness and its occasional bite.

When asked about influences, Mason mentions Fats Domino and Louis Armstrong, Haruki Murakami and Louise Erdrich. “I started making music because music saved my life when I was little — it was something I could go to and always have a feeling of connection, even when times were hard,” he says. “Above all else, I want to make sure I always remember that trying to give other people that sort of feeling is the major purpose behind what I’m doing.”